Nigerian author Chinua Achebe publishes new book, "There Was a Country," a memoir of Biafran war

Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe has published a much-anticipated memoir of the Biafran war.

Achebe's new book, "There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra," recounts the 1967-1970 war when Biafra tried to secede from Nigeria.

Achebe, 81, is one of the Africa's most famous authors, best known for his debut novel "Things Fall Apart" published in 1958. He is often called the father of modern African literature, Agence France-Presse said.